ane brun on the radio, cute aprons, natural light i could ingest for hours.

a thick scallion pancake topped with pork belly and oodles of veggies in ginger maple dressing {a dish i'll try to recreate soon and a dish that left me no choice but to overstuff my belly and dream about it for days to come},

the banh mi that didn't, conversation that did, a millenium park post-meal ice skating romp, and another day in chicago nailed like a nail gun going into a cardboard box. whatever that means.little goat diner was fun. if you have talented conversationalists to muscle out the wait with and/or can pounce on some bar stools in the little goat bread shop next door during that wait, i'd recommend it.-yeh!

midwest young artists is one big big reason why i play music. i grew up in the mya orchestra and percussion ensemble, and i can't imagine a better way to have spent my saturdays throughout junior high and high school than rehearsing with these ensembles. performing beethoven 9 in orchestra hall, competing in fischoff nearly every year, forming some of my closest friendships, and developing a deep affection for domino's pizza are just a few of the awesome things that became of my time in mya.

on saturday morning, i tagged along with my dad to rehearsal and filled in for the three missing percussionists. and it was by far one of the highlights of my week. more of a highlight than meeting niles crane from frasier {no offense, david}. playing in that beautiful sunny room in the old jail building with dr. d as the conductor, daddy as soloist... i couldn't shake that feeling of oh, yes, this is why i love playing so much.that night, we got all fancy schmancy and sipped cocktails and ate devils on horseback and bid in a live auction and enjoyed shostakovich. pops got an award and it was ever so sweet!

bliss because i got to see my dad accept an award for his work with my old youth orchestra,

bliss because, as much as i love my life in new york, every day i think about how much better it would be if i could see my family without having to get on a plane.every weekend i could do exactly what i did this weekend...

i could have lazy mornings in the kitchen reading cookbooks while mum makes crepes,

we could make chocolate rugelach whenever we please,

pops and i could take zumba classes {and i would die watching him}.

stoop and i could curl our hairs while we sip mimosas,

and i'd sit with mia while she practiced the piano.{this weekend. oh it was perfect.}